


Strategic Engagements

by Suzume



Category: Suikoden II
Genre: F/M, Gen, May-December Romance, Strategists
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-09-22
Updated: 2008-09-22
Packaged: 2017-10-14 09:25:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/147794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suzume/pseuds/Suzume
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucia wants to know Leon Silverberg.  To be his student, if he will have her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strategic Engagements

     It was not so much that Lucia enjoyed quietly trailing the Harmonians, as that she often found her mind drifting to them when they were not in her sight.  The Wisemails of Greenhill had struck a deeper, more personal wound, but Harmonia was by no means a friend of the Karaya Clan.

  
    The only Harmonians she had spoken with before were a couple of beaten and broken prisoners of war.  The supposedly ever-smirking General Rimini was only an ominous tale of the Safir and other visitors from the border.  This bishop, Sasarai, was calm and polite.  Were she ever to battle him, it seemed necessary to know him.  During her spare time, she kept a silent eye on him.

  
    The Harmonian commander had strayed a bit from his usual waiting position nearby or inside his round-topped blue tent.  Lucia hoped Sergeant Gierkai (or whatever his name was) would keep the man in line while their bishop and his aid took in the sights.  She trusted Beecham to do his part in keeping the peace.

  
    "Who is Leon Silverberg?" the Harmonian girl asked quizzically.  It was the first thing Lucia heard as she approached them.  Was he the one who aided McDohl in Toran?  The name sounded familiar, but hadn't there been plenty of other Silverbergs?    The only one she could really be sure about was Julian because she had read a biography about him for school.  Did Leon dabble in the southern lands? She didn't know.  She might be thinking of someone else.

  
    "A master strategist, Nika," Sasarai explained to his inexperienced aid, "He authored Barbarossa's victory in the Succession War and concocted the Kalekka Incident.  His methods may be extreme, but his aim is true and his ideals are solid."

  
    Nika nodded thoughtfully, taking in this new information.  She knew that Leon was at least partially responsible for Harmonian military involvement in Highland, but the details of the matter eluded her. Nika was no one important.  She didn't know the specifics and it was unlikely anyone would tell her unless she made a point to ask.  She just followed orders.

  
    Lucia approached the loitering Harmonians but did not initially ask what they were looking at, instead, she tried to figure it out for herself.  They were absently fingering their funny strands of glass beads although they were clearly chatting, not praying.  She followed their eyes past nondescript soldiers practicing with spears and sharpening swords to Jowy's strategist as he gave orders to a partially disguised reconnaissance officer.  She could not hear what either man was saying, but it did not appear that their words were what interested the Harmonians.

  
    Leon looked like a thick-set man, although that notion might be emphasized by his heavy coat.  He had a bushy but dignified mustache, and lines under his dark, intense eyes.  Could it be possible that the two Harmonians were merely looking at him?  Perhaps as such an intelligent man he might be intriguing to talk to, but he didn't seem like anything special to look at.  Lucia decided she might as well ask.  Harmonians would never make any sense to her.

  
    "Why are you watching Leon Silverberg?" she inquired, slipping down to sit cross-legged beside the pair.

  
    "Good morning Lucia," the bishop smiled.  "It's not for any special reason.  We were just discussing Sir Silverberg's past campaigns.  He and Sir Jowy seem to be doing a lot of scheming together without Lord Luca present.  Not that I'm surprised.  The king doesn't strike me at all as the carefully studying and planning type.  A little more brawn over brain, I suppose."

  
    "More like animal instincts than brain," Nika snickered with a shake of her head.

  
    Sasarai gave her a stern look, but did not seem overly bothered by her attitude.  "So what brings you over here near Harmonia's troops anyway?  I thought you were trying your best to keep away from us because of bad blood."

  
    The tan-skinned woman nodded, "I don't want any of my hot-blooded volunteers near your mangy, old veterans, but I never said anything about myself.  Besides, isn't it good form to keep your enemies closer than your friends?"

  
    "I'd say you've got me there, except this time we are allies.  I would prefer that we wouldn't be enemies in the future, but I know as well as you do the unlikelihood of that."

  
    "Is Leon alone?  Doesn't have any aides or students to accompany him here?" Lucia wondered.

  
    "I think Yuber is with him," Nika volunteered, "But I couldn't be sure.  But I don't think that creepy guy is exactly anyone's idea of good company."

  
    "Nor do I," the brunette agreed.  "And l don't get the feeling Sir Silverberg takes students, though perhaps he did in the past."

  
    "That's really a pity when you think of all the things one might learn from him.  What a shame to let such experience fade away.  Maybe he's written some books."  Lucia considered the various possibilities.

  
    Nika shrugged.  "You could ask him."

  
    Lucia was somewhat reluctant to try and engage Leon in a conversation of that sort completely unrelated to the serious situation of the war.  It might not be a topic he enjoyed discussing, or at the very least, it might seem trivial in the face of this conflict.  "Perhaps.  I won't commit myself to it yet.  I can't help but see myself losing my confidence when faced with Leon's cold stare," Lucia answered, but as soon as the words had left her mouth, she regretted speaking them, as the nervous looks of the two Harmonians revealed that the very man she spoke of was standing behind her.

  
    Nika edged nervously away to hide behind the bishop.  Sasarai's honest face displayed far more embarrassment than Lucia's as he flashed a sheepish smiled in Leon's direction.

  
    "Please pardon my saying so," Lucia added, turning to face the brooding man.

  
    "His expression was inscrutable, though she suspected he was at least somewhat annoyed.  How much had he heard, anyway?  "I consider my cold stare one of my best features," he said bluntly to the Karayan woman.  "And just because I don't teach at the academy doesn't mean I never take students," he added, addressing the young Harmonians, "Though I would not teach you.  Today we follow the same path, but we do not share the same goals."  He looked them up and down, silently measuring something only he could know.  "You do not have the ability," he tipped his head to Nika, "Nor you the inclination," he looked to the bishop.

  
    Lucia enjoyed the look of annoyance on the young girl's face.  Sasarai still appeared fairly neutral.  Looks were not everything, Lucia thought.  Intelligence was its own aphrodisiac.  Softening slightly, she smiled at Leon.  She agreed with his assessment of these foolish Harmonians.

  
    "Now, you," Leon added, focusing on Lucia, "There are things I would be happy to teach you."

  
    It was flattering, but Lucia still had her reservations.  The Silverberg reputation was both enticing and a reason for concern.  For now, she would keep her options open.  
      
*****

    "Are the Harmonians bothering you?" Jowy inquired.  He was trying to keep a low profile as he waited for Leon, Culgan, and Seed to arrive for another one of his secret meetings.  If Luca came by and dragged him off to do something, it wouldn't be the first time the mad prince's unpredictability had cancelled a meeting.

  
    "Not exactly," she sat down cross-legged on the ground beside him.  "Actually, they unintentionally led me into something quite interesting.  Accepting the offer to come and aid Highland has turned into something of a windfall for me.  It's strange.  All I came hoping for was revenge, but it seems that may be only one side of it."

  
    Jowy leaned his head in his hand and smiled.  In all this troublesome mess, it was good to see someone happy.  The Karayans didn't have the best tactics or the greatest numbers, but they excelled with their tenacity and burning emotion. "So what'd you find?"

  
    "It's Leon."

  
    In some ways, it surprised him.  Leon kept to himself and wasn't exactly the most glamorous or eye-catching person around the camp.  But for other reasons, it didn't.  Leon was intelligent and respected.  He had a good career behind him and he set a high standard for himself.  "I see.  ...We're lucky to have him, aren't we?"

  
    "Yes...I think I may take him upon an offer he made to teach me."

  
    Jowy supported the decision from the get-go, though he probably did not realize the full extent of this 'teaching,' as Leon and Lucia did.

  
    The strategist approached and they grew silent in the face of his great presence.

*****

    "Leon!" Lucia whispered from outside the tent.  Her voice was hushed, but still carried a certain roughness as she awaited the strategist's reply.  

  
    "Come in."  His gruffly succinct response did nothing to slow the rapid beating of the young woman's heart.  Despite their difference in age, there was still something she found attractive about Leon.  He was intelligent and almost perpetually calm, but he was kind too.  Minimizing casualties was the most important aspect of any tactics to him.  Lucia had seen the quiet yet commanding way he directed the troops.  He had many qualities of a good leader.

  
    She pushed aside the tent flap and entered the small tent.  Leon did not have a cot.  Instead he sat on a gray-green bedroll on the ground looking over a map spread across a short, rickety folding table.

  
    "I'm not interrupting your work, am I?" she asked nervously.  She certainly did not want to do anything that might upset or offend him.

  
    "No, I'm actually pleased to have a break in the monotony.  What brings you here?"

  
    She edged over and knelt down on the ground beside his bedroll.  "I came to take you up on your offer.  I'd like you to teach me."  She pursed her soft lips and let her long eyelashes frame her eyes attractively, sure that such a quick man would understand that she wanted him to instruct her in more matters than simply strategy.

  
    There was a brief twinkle in his eye, but it was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Lucia to wonder if she had only imagined it.  "I would be glad to," he said launching almost immediately into the subject of war.  He began with the basics of troop formations, geography, and the need for a strong chain of command and Lucia listened carefully to her handsome tutor.

  
    She was watching his face as he spoke, seeing the way he formed each syllable.  "And, of course," he continued, his deep voice growing softer, "You must always know when to engage..."

  
    They had been coming closer and closer together throughout the lecture and now he kissed her.  Her emotions seemed to catch in her throat for a moment.  He looped his arm around her waist and she felt the strong, sturdy fabric of his coat with the tips of her fingers as she held onto him, fervently kissing Leon in return.  His mustache was not scratchy as she had expected.  It was well groomed and silky, like a cat's tail brushing against her face.  He tasted like cinnamon and tea, both homely and elegant.

  
    He dipped her backward to the bedroll and she kicked over the table as she slid down.  Although the crash of the wood and the crumpling of the map temporarily distracted Lucia, Leon was unperturbed.  "Let it go," he whispered and stroked her cheek.


End file.
